Story + Rain Talks

Take three deep breaths, and join our conversation with one of the most exciting creatives today, and it all starts with abundant appreciation. In an exclusive interview, we sit down with #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Award-Winning Podcast Host Of On Purpose, Chief Purpose Officer of Calm, and Story + Rain Cover Star, Jay Shetty. This is a favorite, must-listen Story + Rain Talks episode, not only because Jay shares the spot-on words of wisdom he’s known for, but because we take on topics you might not have heard Jay tackle. We get into his brilliance for branding, how his extensive study of public speaking serves him today…and the time in his life when it hadn’t yet served him. He lets us in on the intimate ritual he shares with his guests before each of his podcast recordings, and the four pillars of intentionality embedded within all the work that he does---pillars Jay created when he first started his work---hidden and not publicly known, but that he shares in this intimate conversation with us, here. Jay gets granular about the different aspects of his brand, and the importance in individualizing each of his projects in look and feel and tone, for all of his vast and dedicated audience. When it comes to those On Purpose podcast episodes that we all can’t get enough of, Jay allowed us to pick apart his process, and on the podcast you’ll learn how his candescent conversations take shape. Here’s a hint: you might be surprised to find out that it’s way less polish, so much presence…and all about the "50|50". We chat with Jay about his lifestyle, and about how and why he learned to pay more attention to his health. We discuss his routines and practices, and the things that top his list of current obsessions in the health and wellness space. Story + Rain, of course, makes them shoppable here, and in our shop on Instagram. Then there’s the sage advice: the book he recommends highly, a message to content creators about substance over form, one of the things that allows him to achieve laser-like focus, and why building relationships slowly is the way to work it. We take a large look at how Jay Shetty took his talent for talk on his recent Love Rules tour, a show peppered with all his personal loves, and where worldwide audiences felt his meticulously-assembled and powerful demonstrations of the magic in growth. We dissect his definition of creativity. And because he’s delightfully curious to the depths, we had to ask Jay to take us through exactly what his research process looks like, and it all starts with something he’s struggling with. This, and so much more on this very special episode. And hopefully more to come, when we catch up with our favorite creator next. He’s a true treasure for how he has and continues to transcend and transform wisdom and wellbeing, and because he puts more beauty and love into our world. Our conversations with creatives continue, as Story + Rain Talks to Jay Shetty. Discover more + Shop The Podcast:Subscribe to the Jay Shetty On Purpose Podcast8 Rules Of Love bookThink Like A Monk bookJay Shetty Book Bundle40% on Calm App subscription to receive The Daily Jay daily meditationsThe Culture Code book by Daniel CoyleBroc ShotRae Wellness Pre + Probiotic Omni-Biotic Microbiome Restoration Clothing by Bode Sony 1000XM5 Headphones in blackfollow @storyandraintalks on instagram for our very latest drops + more pod content HERE | follow @storyandrain magazine on instagram HERE | follow our host + founder @tamarararappa HERE | discover, read, shop: fashion, beauty, wellness, tv + film, food, travel, interviews, + more on storyandrain.com

The Stories – “The model to succeed is tough unless you are backed by a conglomerate, or LVMH.” “The place that was smaller, at that point, was Michael Kors. I interned there for two years. It was a dream. Michael Kors showed me how to be a boss – he was nice, kind, funny, and personable.” “My mother would require us to make dinner one night a week so we could learn some basic cooking.” “I wanted every recipe to have a photo. When I look at a cookbook and there’s no photo representing a recipe, not only do I not know what that recipe’s supposed to look like, I also feel like, this author must not think this is an important recipe.”The Backstory – “I sat at family dinner one night, when I was in the fifth grade, and made the announcement that I wanted to be a fashion designer.” “In 2006 I was working with two different design teams. It was crazy busy; I was fully in the mix. It was full minestrone!” “Cooking was something I’d been doing the whole time. When I was a fashion designer, I was always coming home and cooking, having dinner parties… it was something that kept my feet on the ground in what can be a crazy industry at times.”Wisdom Rains – “All the focus that began for me in the fifth grade, had turned into blinders. Then I allowed myself to have another dream.” “There’s a point when you’re on the diving board and you need to take that leap of faith, and know that hard work and some level of talent will yield a soft landing. Once you start doing something, your heart catches up with your mind.” “It's almost like the protein is the Little Black Dress. Now how do you accessorize it?"On Inspo – “Growing up in the Bay Area in San Francisco, in the 70’s and 80’s, it was a really amazing time for creativity and for self-expression, and I felt like I was in the right place at the right time.”On Tommy Hilfiger---“Tommy, as a person himself, was an amazing mentor, in terms of him really seeing that I had the potential.”On recipes and putting together his cookbook, Family Style – “I would wake up at 7, 8 in the morning and get to recipe testing. My refrigerator was a Jenga set from hell.” “Five Spice Chicken is one of those Tuesday meals that you can just throw into the oven.” “Knowing it was inspired by my heritage and Cantonese roots, I felt it would be amazing to find an Asian photographer; there’s a common language and experience.”What Else – “I have a couple of things coming down the turnpike that are in the fashion world."Obsixed – a collection of Peter Som’s current obsessions.Discover more + Shop The Podcast:petersom.comFamily Style: Elegant Everyday Recipes Inspired by Home and Heritage by Peter Som ⁠Burlap + Barrel Peter Som Blends⁠When The Going Was Good by Graydon Carter Todd Snyder Italian Wood Block Paisley Neckerchief Lipault luggageStan Smiths | navyRombauer ChardonnayLa Double J table linensAtelier Saucier table linensMatouk table linensDiscover the episode and more on storyandrain.comfollow @storyandraintalks and @storyandrain on Instagram follow @storyandraintalks and @storyandrain on Threadsall about the host

The Stories — Strecker: “I hadn’t had a partner who was socially savvy until I found Taylor.” "Taylor has a quiet, calming confidence that’s really important when you are working with people who are talent. It’s nerve wracking to be in front of a camera.” “I spent so many years doing morning radio. I would just wake up, roll out of bed. I didn’t even have time to think about what went into getting energized for a show. I didn’t have time to get nervous.” “The entertainment industry is very dramatic, and for a really long time I was addicted to the drama.” Donohue: “You could tell by talking to her for two seconds that the things that come out of her mouth are insane. We became friendly and I learned that she had this amazing job at Sirius XM. I was this 26-year-old kid, and I started working for her more and more. We’re total opposites of the spectrum, because I’m behind the camera.” “It’s being proactive versus reactive. And she’s talent, I can only push her so far as her wife and co-worker if she’s exhausted after two or three shows a day and an event.” “Something I’ve learned about myself is that my body needs to recharge. I used to give, give, give, all the time.”The Backstory — The Taylors met while filming a food video for a chef friend.Wisdom Rains — Donohue: “Celebrating the small wins with your partner is huge.”Who Inspires? — Strecker: “Ironically, because they would all say I was their inspiration for getting into podcasting or some form of audio, Stassi Schroeder, @girlwithnojob, and Hannah Berner – all of my best friends.”On Working Together Every Day — Donohue: “It can be 24/7 so it’s hard to stop. Tay is usually making dinner while I’m wrapping up. And then we love to watch a show at the end of the day. The beautiful thing is we can work from anywhere. The terrible thing is we can work from anywhere. But the thing too, is that a lot of our work is fun.”'What’s It Like To Have Your Creative-Creator As A Partner, In One Word? — Donohue: “Lucky.” Strecker: “Kismet.”What Else — Live shows, writing a book, and building The Taylors brand.Obsixed — A collection of Taylor Donohue and Taylor Strecker’s current lifestyle obsessions.Discover more + Shop The Podcast:Taste of TaylorSony record playerOne Line A Day journalAuvon Tens UnitConverse Chuck Taylors in redU Beauty Resurfacing CompoundColeman Saluspa inflatable hot tubHulken Rolling Tote BagFree People We The Free Good Luck Barrel JeansDiscover the episode and more on storyandrain.comfollow @storyandraintalks and @storyandrain on Instagram follow @storyandraintalks and @storyandrain on Threadsall about the host

The Stories: “Usually we'll hear from folks when they're having a big life event, like leaving the city. People will say, ‘you've been a part of my life for the past 11 years.’ Or, ‘I’m moving to LA. Can you recommend something for me there? Do you have any plans of opening there?’ The love is really wonderful."“Am I doing a good job? What does competition look like? Are we telling the story as good as we used to? I used to pack a lot of the boxes; I cared about the quality. How do we make sure that those quality standards are maintained?”The Backstory: “No doubt, the pandemic was this real accelerant for what we were doing. It really changed people's habits overnight. We had been trying to get press for years, then, suddenly, press was flocking to us.” “My father is a lifelong natural products and natural food entrepreneur. That was what I grew up around. I saw him building out these small-footprint, pre-Whole Foods kind of grocery stores, filled with natural products.” “The nice thing about being young and naïve is that I was like, ‘how can I make a million dollar business? The foolishness of that was what made it so fun, the possibilities so endless.”Wisdom Rains: “What this is doing, at a minimum, is getting people to think about how their health is connected to how they feel and what they eat. We've become very disconnected with it, because people are no longer growing up in the kitchens of their grandparents, learning how to cook.” “Customers drive the innovation. Listen to the people you're delivering to. What do they want? That’s kept me busy for the past 11 years.”On Inspo: “I always come back to and try to remind myself about why I’m doing this. What's really exciting and fulfilling to me, especially being a young founder in an industry where a lot of competitors raised a ton of venture capital and we really have no right existing, it’s been fulfilling to me to go back to the mission of, how do we take the food that I was selling myself at the farmer's market and seeing the issues of customers who would come to the farmer's market. I felt like if there was a few of them, there were many, many more out there who would want this kind of product. And my mission was how do we create this and make it something that is sustainable and profitable.”On Farmers: “Our farmers are incredible. I think people forget this, but the farmer's job is one of the hardest. There are no days off. Food is something that is highly perishable, growing all the time.”

We’re ranting live from Industry City in Brooklyn and from The Female Founder’s Collective’s annual Female Founder’s Day. Tamara sits down with Sarah Beth from the team to answer some questions she has about career and building a brand. We grab FFC Co-Founder Rebecca Minkoff between sessions at the gathering of 500+ plus founders for this episode on out-of-the-box thinking and career paths, risk-taking, having perseverance, and sticking to your vision as a founder.Tell us a little about your early career and how you’ve navigated career moves over the years, to get to where you are now? What was the catalyst for creating Story + Rain? Can you tell us how the name ‘Story + Rain’ came about? With decidedly differing answers, Tamara and Rebecca answer one of our favorite questions: What is a story about your career that you’ve never had the opportunity to share before? Is there a moment in your career when you found yourself having to stick to your vision and it paid off in spades, in terms of authenticity and your brand? What kind of creativity goes into putting together an event like Female Founder’s Day? Discover more + Shop The Podcast:The Female Founder Collective Rebecca Minkoff wears West Booties in blackTamara carries the Dior Changing BagSpanx Booty Boost Active LeggingsPetite Plume Silk Sleep MaskBeautybio Get That Glow Glowpro Facial Microneedling Discover SetSupergoop! Play Everyday Lotion SPF 30

The Stories: “On my first day as a CFDA member, I stood up in front of then-president Diane von Furstenberg and Steven Kolb and I asked what our industry’s plans for sustainability was. I remember the Olsen twins sitting in front of me and turning around, staring at me. Everyone was staring at me. ‘Who is this girl?’ Diane and Steven looked at each other and said, ‘We have none.'"The Backstory: Grew up with two creative grandmothers and aunts; one grandmother who was an award-winning quilter and who had hand-selected the rocks that her grandfather built their house with. Her mother is an ‘overachiever,’ former lawyer who creates watercolor art and who spent hours with Melissa as a child making food for her Barbie refrigerator. “My dad, although he isn’t crafty, is very intellectually creative.”Wisdom Rains: “I tend to look at the shifts and the circularity of my business – marked by what some people might call ‘trauma’ – as opportunities to rebuild better. Even though they’re really challenging to go through at the time, you really learn what’s important, and what you want.”On Inspo: “The way that we make jewelry is so influenced by traditional Mexican silversmithing techniques. I don’t do a lot of casting. We hand-make, hand-form, hand-hammer using a lot of the same tools that are used in Mexico. I really appreciate their craft and attention to detail.” Names her mother as ‘super-inspirational’ for how she’s reinvented herself to achieve many different things over the years.On Community + On Her Store: “People really enjoy getting together and talking about things, trying stuff on and having fun. I’ve only been in business for as long as I have, because of my community. I’ve built really strong relationships that have carried me through really challenging times, so I feel like nourishing those, intentionally. My wholesale partners have become a strong focus, so has creating the same type of partnership and energy within my store.”What Else: “There is a lot of technical detail within what we do that doesn’t scream, ‘look at me.’ It’s an understated elegance that allows each person to put their personal stamp on my jewelry when they wear it.”Obsixed: A collection of Melissa’s current lifestyle obsessions and brands.Discover more + Shop The Podcast:melissajoymanning.com

The Stories: Finding an unexpected and inspiring note from mother Barbara Ann Teer. Pivoting. Launching NBT Beyond Walls. Building a building and the creative process involved. Escaped a close call leaving Tom Ford pieces two countries behind while on tour styling Lenny Kravitz. “Our work is for all audiences, but it’s also to create a platform of possibility and to course-correct the stories that have rendered us two-dimensional.” Working with Ivy Park and Beyoncé to sample her mother's words onAlien Superstar.The Backstory: Worked the door at NYC’s legendary clubs, was discovered on a red carpet at the MTV VMAs and worked as a producer for TRL, co-founded a swimwear line, began helming National Black Theatre after her mother’s sudden passing.Words Of Wisdom: “I’m building the plane while I’m flying it.” "If I don't see you wholly, and you don't see me wholly, then we can never connect or belong." "Life is short. Live it to the fullest." "No matter how fast and hard you run away from your purpose, it always comes back around."On Inspo: “My forever 'yes' is to show up and be a good daughter.” Dancer Judith Jamison’s relationship with her mother’s best friend, Alvin Ailey, has inspired her through ‘Impostor Syndrome.’ "The seven generations of women who carry me every day."On National Black Theatre: “I’m ambitious in my vision for what NBT must be: the premiere destination for black theater in the country.” The majority of black theater is being produced in white spaces with artistic directors and producers for white audiences. Feels the honor and the pressure of preserving black culture and history.On NYC: "There was a heartbeat to New York. No matter where you came from, we belonged to each other."What Else: “I’m not in the business of theater, I’m in the business of freedom.”Obsixed: A collection of Sade's lifestyle obsessions.Discover more + Shop The Podcast:National Black Theatre J. Crew slipdressesJ. Crew cashmere J. Crew loafersPattern Beauty haircareHoney Pot personal care itemsThe work of artist Amy Sherald

The Stories:“Seeing people cope through my songs and be able to let themselves feel with them, has been so beautiful and has also made me feel less alone.”“I'm so deeply empathetic. I feel everything around me, tenfold.”“The hard part of touring is when you get off the tour, because you've gone from one hundred miles an hour to zero.”“As an artist, you have to constantly evolve, you have to be ever-changing. You're almost a new character every year. It's weird, but also cool to figure out. “The Backstory: Her first video posted to TikTok was created at age 11 using her grandparents old old keyboard.Wisdom Rains: “The more you share, the more can be used against you.”“Something that has surprised me is how expansive my mind can be and how expansive creativity is.”On Inspo: “I have to feel some type of way for idea to come out of me. It's a way of getting things out of my brain, because if I don't, I suffer.”Singer-Songwriter Soundoff: Jelly Roll, Maren Morris, Teddy Swims, Diplo.On Coachella: “I'm coming into a new character and a new part of myself. Musically, I'll be leaning into my rap side of things.”Obsixed: A collection of Jessie's lifestyle obsessions.Disover more + Shop The Podcast:jessiemurph.comJessie Murph Ain't No Man Thats The Devil on vinylSundae Whipped Shower Foam Body Wash in Very VanillaLoving Tan 2 Hr Express Self Tanning MousseLa Mer Crème de la Mer Moisturizing CreamStanley Stainless Steel Valentine's Day TumblerVictrola Empire Bluetooth Record Player